The Prime Minister’s failure to dismiss Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi and his chief of staff Keith Schembri is fuelling anger within the Labour Party ranks, according to sources.

Joseph Muscat’s inaction, more than 24 hours after the Energy Minister said he was ready for any decision in his regard, has confounded fellow Cabinet members and party functionaries.

“The anger is now shifting towards the Prime Minister after expectations were raised that he would be taking bold decisions to put a lid on the Panama scandal,” the sources said.

Many in the party believed Dr Muscat would act the day after Dr Mizzi told Labour delegates at the general conference on Thursday that he was “ready to accept any decision the Prime Minister may take”.

The anger is now shifting towards the PM after expectations were raised that he would take bold decisions to put a lid on the Panama scandal

But as of yesterday evening, Dr Mizzi was still a minister and Mr Schembri a public officer at the Office of the Prime Minister. In the second session of the general conference yesterday, Dr Mizzi was again sitting on the top table in his role as deputy leader party affairs, alongside Dr Muscat.

Sources close to Cabinet said the minister and Mr Schembri have insisted they did nothing wrong and were refusing to resign. The only option left was for the Prime Minister to dismiss them, they said.

“There is a lot of anger because the Prime Minister is allowing this to drag on unnecessarily,” the sources said, adding the frustration was articulated well by former deputy leader Toni Abela on Thursday.

Addressing the general conference just before Dr Mizzi spoke, Dr Abela referred to difficult decisions he had to take as deputy leader when Labour was still in Opposition. “Some of the toughest decisions I took were against those I considered friends,” he said.

Labour Party functionaries interpreted this as a direct reference to Dr Muscat. The Prime Minister has a very close relationship with Mr Schembri, and Dr Mizzi is his most trusted minister. “Joseph Muscat knows that dismissing Konrad [Mizzi] will inevitably lead to Keith Schembri’s removal, and that could be the hardest part,” the sources said.

kurt.sansone@timesofmalta.com

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